


the one where betty & jughead hook up at a wedding

by sopaloma



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M, could this BE anymore tropey?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-25
Updated: 2018-01-25
Packaged: 2019-03-09 12:01:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,085
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13481061
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sopaloma/pseuds/sopaloma
Summary: “They’re tryna mess with us?!” Cheryl laughs. “They don’t know that we know they know we know.”A Friends AU.





	the one where betty & jughead hook up at a wedding

**Author's Note:**

> somehow, as canon riverdale gets worse, i become more inspired to write au’s...
> 
> this has been done so often that i think the mondler au might be a trope all of it’s own. i’m also pretty sure this has been done in this fandom before but i couldn’t resist giving it a go!
> 
> this is super cheesy and cliche, and anyone who has seen friends already knows the story, but i’ve tried to give it a new spin, so i hope it’s fun!!
> 
> also, catch the meta-reference ;)

Jughead watches Archie flirt up a storm with Veronica, whispering in her ear and twisting a piece of her hair around his finger. He figures he has two options here – go and find Cheryl and get drunk, or find Betty and get drunk.

Betty is definitely the better option.

He spots her by the bar, sat on one of the stools, chin cradled in her hand as she looks out over the crowd. There is an empty martini glass beside her, the olive still pierced by the cocktail stick.

“Another martini, Betts?”

She startles at the sound of his voice but recovers quickly and gives him a smile. “Sure. Thanks, Jug.”

“You look pretty,” he comments. And she does – she always does. But she’s dressed up for the rehearsal dinner in a form-fitting blue dress and while he’s sure he’s not the first, she should be told how lovely she looks.

“Thanks,” she says again, smile not quite as genuine this time.

He orders her drink and a beer for himself, and then two shots of tequila. He was making use of the open bar – and would be doing the same thing tomorrow at the actual wedding.

“What’s this?” she asks, nose crinkling up as she sniffs the shot.

“Tequila.”

She narrows her eyes at him. “You know I don’t drink tequila after what happened at Cheryl’s twenty-fourth birthday party.”

“Well it’s time you started again. Tequila makes things fun and you look fucking miserable. Now lick your hand so I can shake some salt on it.”

She hesitates for a moment then licks a stripe across her hand. Jughead does the same, sprinkling salt onto both of their hands.

He hands her a piece of lime and then clinks his glass to hers. “Drink up, Betts.”

They lick the salt from their hands, knock back the shot and, grimacing, place the lime between their lips. Betty looks disgusted as she slams the now empty shot glass onto the bar.

“Why did you make me do that?” she groans, before taking a sip of her martini to wash away the tequila’s aftertaste.

“It’s your brother’s wedding rehearsal,” he shrugs. “We’re supposed to be having fun and you look like someone has pissed in your Cheerios.”

Betty’s nose wrinkles again in that cute way it does. “Gross, Jug.”

He shrugs. “I’m just saying. You clearly need a pick me up.”

She looks away, mouth still downturned. He nudges her with his shoulder.

“Hey, what’s wrong?”

She shrugs. “Nothing.”

He sighs, leans back against the bar. “I’m just gonna keep asking until you tell me.”

She says nothing, just stares out across the room.

An old lady approaches her – one of Betty’s relatives, he assumes – and grasps Betty’s hand in hers.

“Don’t look so sad, dear. This will happen for you someday. Just like it did for your brother and sister.”

Betty’s smile is tight as she mutters a terse, “Thanks, Aunt Carole.”

Her aunt orders a lemonade and then leaves to return to her table. Beside him, Betty’s sadness has transitioned into anger, mouth now a harsh, thin line.

“That’s what’s wrong.”

He frowns. “What? Your family?”

“No... I mean, kind of...” She sighs, takes a sip. “If I have to hear one more person tell me not to worry, it’ll happen for me soon, I’m gonna kill someone.”

“Woah. Relax, Dahmer.” She shoots him an irritated look. “Why do you even care? You don’t want to get married right now. You broke up with Adam for that exact reason.”

“I know, but...” Her gaze drops to her drink. “It still doesn’t feel great to have so many people point out how alone you are.”

Jughead slides his arm around her shoulders and pulls her against his side.

“You’re not alone, Betts.”

“I’m not?” she asks, a short, sarcastic laugh leaving her. “Then how come I haven’t had a relationship that’s lasted longer than six months? I mean, Christ, even you dated Sabrina for almost a year and you’re terrified of commitment.”

“I’m not _terrified_...” he mutters. “Whatever. Beside the point. You need to stop being so hard on yourself. I know that _you_ were not the problem in any of those relationships.”

“I’m definitely part of the problem,” she argues. “I’ve chosen not one, but two guys who have cheated on me. Do you know how shitty that feels?”

He can see her blinking away tears, teeth sinking into her bottom lip.

“Betty, look at me,” he says softly. She shifts her gaze to him, glossy eyes so big and beautiful, and so, so sad. “Those guys were idiots. I mean, they had to be to cheat on you, because... because who wouldn’t want you?”

Silence falls over them, a strange, unfamiliar tension simmering between them. Betty’s tongue darts out to lick her lips; his gaze flickers down to watch the movement and then back up again.

Betty slides her hand down and links her fingers through his.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chic bangs on the door, yells, “Look alive, Jones. It’s my wedding day!”

Jughead groans, shifting until he is sat up against the headboard. He runs his hand through his messy hair and then looks down at the mass of blonde hair beside him, spread out across his pillow.

Betty turns, yawning, and mutters, “Thank God he didn’t come in,” before blinking her eyes open. She smiles up at him. “Hi.”

He smiles back. “Hi.”

She stretches and then sits up, too. Her hair is a mess and there’s mascara smudged beneath her eyes, but she’s fucking adorable, and he can’t believe he’s seeing what she looks like in the morning, fresh from sleep.

“So last night was... unexpected.”

Jughead chuckles; there’s a hint of nerves. “Yeah, it was. Kinda glad Veronica dragged Archie into her room.”

Betty laughs. “Yeah, me, too. Could have been really awkward.”

They fall into an awkward silence, both wrapped in the sheets, fully aware that they were both naked beneath.

It feels unnatural, this uncomfortable tension between them; unlike the electric tension of the night before, that had felt so right Jughead didn’t know how to make sense of it.

“So, uh, I need to go back to my room – bridesmaids duties.” She bites the corner of her lip, looking away from him. “Could you, uh, close your eyes? While I get dressed?”

“Oh! Yeah. Yeah, no problem.”

He clasps one hand across his eyes. He hears the rustling of sheets and the closing of a zipper, but doesn’t remove his hand until she gives him the okay.

“Alright, you can look.”

He uncovers his eyes and finds Betty stood beside his bed, now clothed in her dress from the night before, hair still messy but somehow still so pretty.

“I really should go before Archie comes back.”

“Yeah, you’re right. Um...” He trials off, not sure how to proceed. This was new territory for him – he’d never slept with one of his best friends before. “So I’ll see you at the wedding?”

“Sure will.” Her smile is small and her eyes soft as she says, “Thanks for last night, Juggie. You were right... I needed to have some fun.”

“Glad to be of service, I guess.”

She laughs, some of the awkwardness leaving the room.

“Okay, I’m going. I’ll see you later.”

“See ya.”

As soon as the door is closed behind her, Jughead slips down beneath the covers and turns towards the now empty pillow beside him. It smells like her, like her coconut shampoo.

Jughead groans and buries his face further into the pillow.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Where were you last night?” Veronica asks through the dressing screen.

Betty carefully removes her pajamas, trying not to mess up her hair or make-up.

“I crashed in Jughead’s room,” she says, hoping her voice remains steady. “I figured you and Archie were making good use of ours and I didn’t wanna walk in on that.”

Veronica giggles. “That was definitely the right decision.”

Betty slides her pajama pants down her legs, pausing when she sees the round, purple bruise on her inner thigh. Her breath catches, fingers tracing across the mark.

She remembers him putting it there the night before, sucking the mark into her skin before his lips travelled further, pressed against the place she wanted them most.

Her fingers had pulled at his hair so hard she knew she had to be hurting him. He didn’t seem to mind.

She steps into her mint green bridesmaid dress, trying to will those kinds of thoughts away. She couldn’t be thinking about him right now. It was her brother’s wedding day and she needed to be focused and helpful, ready to assist her future sister-in-law in any way she needed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

They make it to the ceremony on time, the groomsmen waiting in front of the open doors, ready to lead their respective bridesmaids out into the venue.

Outside, the band begins to play, a lilting tune for their descent down the aisle. She approaches Jughead, a shy smile pulling at her lips.

“Hey.” He is smiling right back, elbow outstretched for her to take. She curls her hand around it. “You look beautiful,” he says quietly.

Betty’s eyelids flutter; she feels both flattered and a little embarrassed. “Thanks. You look really good, too.”

“This old thing?” He smoothes his hand across the lapel then grins. “Thanks, Betts.”

They form a line; they’re second from the front, situated just behind Maria’s maid of honour and Chic’s best man, Reggie.

“So last night was kind of crazy,” Jughead comments as they make their way outside and towards the aisle.

Betty snorts. “Understatement of the year. Seriously, what were we thinking?”

“I blame the tequila,” he quips. “And I know – it’s totally my fault.”

“It was kind of stupid,” she says, nervous laughter in her voice.

“ _So_ stupid,” Jughead agrees. A beat, then, “But we’re gonna do it again, right?”

“Oh, yeah. Definitely.”

They part ways as they reach Chic who is waiting impatiently for his bride, hands crossed in front of him and a handsome smile on his face. She catches his eye as she moves into place, winks at him.

Across from her, Jughead stands beside Reggie, gaze shifting from the bride and over to her. Betty bites her bottom lip to smother her smile.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

She is ethereal, the sunlight streaming across the venue’s garden highlighting her striking features and the ends of her hair. And when she turns towards the sunbeam, the green of her eyes is so light they look almost clear.

They are in Californian wine country, at a beautiful cottage, surrounded by rolling hills and lush trees, and all Jughead can see is her.

Because the thing is, he’s always known Betty was pretty – he’s not blind – but she was so much more than that now.

He wanders over to her table, takes a seat in the empty chair beside her.

“Having fun?”

Her lips tilt up into a soft smile. “It’s a beautiful day, my brother just married the love of his life and I’m already on my second glass of white wine.”

He laughs. “That’s a yes, then.” He catches a piece of her hair as it blows in the breeze but stops himself from winding it around his finger – he wasn’t Archie Andrews, he couldn’t pretend to be smooth and get away with it. “You look beautiful.”

She smiles, and if he didn’t know her better he’d say it was shy.

“You said that already.”

“It’s still true,” he quips with a half-smile. “You know, it’s bad form to look better than the bride.”

She scoffs, slapping her hand against his chest.

“If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you were trying to seduce me, Jones.”

“Nah.” He catches that piece of hair again, tucks it behind her ear. “If I was trying to seduce you, I’d tell you that you’re the most beautiful woman in the room. That you’re the most beautiful woman in _every_ room.”

Betty stares at him for a long, silent moment. Around them, guests chatter and laugh, but Jughead notices nothing but Betty sliding her hand into his, following gladly as she leads him inside the cottage.

“I still can’t believe this is happening,” Jughead murmurs against her throat, hands grasping at the silky material of her bridesmaids dress.

He has her pressed up against the wall inside an alcove, out of sight of the other guests but not private enough that they couldn’t be easily spotted.

A soft moans tears from Betty’s throat, her head tilting back as his lips kiss a chain across her skin.

“I know,” she moans, fingers sliding into his hair. “And you’re a really good kisser.”

He chuckles, more amused than offended by the surprise in her voice. His lips find hers again, and he kisses her three more times – soft, lingering pecks – before he says, “Archie’s with the other guests. My room is free.”

Betty doesn’t even hesitate. “Let’s go.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jughead is sure there is some high power working against them; a power that doesn’t want he and Betty to ever repeat that night.

Betty is in his arms, on his bed, for only a few minutes before Archie knocks on the door.

“Dude, open up! I need to use the room.”

They both tense up at the sound of his voice. Jughead reluctantly pulls away to yell, “Why do you need it?”

“‘Cause me and Veronica wanna use it! And I know you’re in there with Betty but really... which one of us is gonna be having sex?”

Jughead groans, forehead dropping to Betty’s shoulder. He really wishes he hadn’t been so cheap and paid the extra for his own room.

“Well I guess I have to say you,” Jughead shouts back, unable to keep the irritation out of his voice. Not that Archie would ever notice.

“It’s okay, Jug.” Betty smiles but it doesn’t quite reach her eyes. He feels it too – the sinking disappointment. “I should probably get back out there anyway,” she says, scooting off the bed and adjusting her dress.

He sighs, falls back on his hands. “Yeah. I probably should, too.”

He manages to keep his hands off her the whole night. His eyes, not so much, but he was trying his best. What was he supposed to do? _Not_ stare at her longingly?

They run into each again the next morning, in the hallway outside the wedding breakfast. Everyone else is already inside giving them the opportunity to sneak off.

“How long do you think it’ll take them to notice?” Betty giggles, fingers laced through Jughead’s as they hurry off towards Betty’s room.

“Betty! Jughead! There you are.”

They come to a sudden stop, turning towards Chic. Betty’s hand falls from his, quick and guilty.

“Come on, they’re serving everything up.”

Betty looks up at Jughead, a sad smile on her face.

“This was dumb. We can’t just _sneak off_.”

“Right? Really dumb. You know – this is California’s fault. Being on the west coast is throwing us all off.”

“Definitely. Stupid California.”

He chuckles. “So stupid.”

Archie asks why he’s being such a downer as he piles bacon onto his plate. Jughead doesn’t know how to answer.

He tries his luck one last time. He spots Betty sitting in the departure lounge, away from the others, flipping through a magazine. It takes him a second to work up the nerve before he sidles over and takes a seat beside her.

“So... have you ever thought about joining the Mile High Club?”

She snorts. “Is that how you approach all women? With cheesy cliches?”

“Nope,” he grins. “Just the ones I’ve hooked up with at weddings.”

She rolls her eyes but she looks amused. She flips a page over, not meeting his eye.

“For the record, I haven’t.” Her gaze slides over to his, a sexy little smirk on her lips. “But I think I might be considering it.”

Jughead swallows, hand reaching out to grasp her thigh, when Cheryl appears in front of them, hands on her hips.

“Betty, are you sitting next to me? Ronnie is sitting with Archie and I don’t wanna spend the whole flight alone.”

Jughead slouches down into his seat, suppressing a frustrated groan. Someone up there was definitely working against him.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Archie and Veronica slink off into his and Archie’s apartment as soon as Veronica has dropped her suitcase off at her place. Across the hall, Jughead carries Betty’s suitcase inside, places it next to Veronica’s much larger one.

“Thanks for carrying that up,” she smiles. “Do you want a drink? A snack?”

“No, I should probably go and unpack.”

She nods, hands clasped in front of her. “Okay.”

He falls quiet, unsure of how to proceed. As disappointing as it was, they clearly weren’t going to get another night together and he didn’t want to leave without letting her know how special that one night had been.

“I want you to know,” she says suddenly, beating him to it. She steps forward, closing the short distance between them. “Even though it was a one time thing – and it was _all_ California’s fault – that night meant a lot to me.”

“It meant a lot to me, too.” He smiles. “Because you’re really hot,” he adds, trying to break the tension.

It works, Betty’s face lighting up as she laughs.

“Seriously,” he says, voice lower, gentler. “You’re amazing, Betty, and you chose me – even if only for one night. So how could it not be special?”

She looks so pretty, everything about her soft and sweet as she blushes at his words.

“Plus,” he says, eyes full of mirth, “I got to see you naked. I count that as a win.”

She barks out a laugh, raises her hand for a high five. He laughs with her, palm slapping against hers before he heads towards the door.

He pauses in the doorway, smiles over his shoulder. “Bye.”

“Bye.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

She bites at the corner of her lip, staring at the closed door. It had only been a few seconds but time was already ticking away. Should she go after him? Should she tell him not to go?

Ten seconds have passed when the door opens again and Jughead slips back inside.

“I’m still on California time,” he states. “Does that count?”

“Oh, that counts.”

Betty rushes towards him, arms wrapping around his neck as his lips meet hers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sneaking around becomes part of the fun.

Betty kind of likes telling their oblivious friends she’s going to do ‘laundry’ before sneaking across the hall and into Jughead’s apartment. It makes her feel bold and confident, and sneaky in the best way.

She doesn’t like the secrecy because it makes things forbidden or illicit; she likes the secrecy because it makes this thing between them – whatever it is – _their’s_.

It’s special, this new relationship. Their chemistry was undeniable, so electric that Betty could hardly believe they hadn’t noticed it before. And the sex. God, _the sex_. Not many people can say they’ve had the best sex of their life with their best friend.

The romance is a surprising aspect. Jughead has had a few girlfriends during the years she’s known him, but never anything really serious and nothing long-term enough that she had gotten a glimpse at Jughead in a relationship. Even when he was with Sabrina he had spent most of his time at her place with her friends.

He surprises her with little things. Bubble baths together, soaking in his arms in the tub, listening to music; or dates to the Guggenheim, wandering around the museum for hours, joined hands swinging between them.

Betty is so swept up in it all – in _him_ – that the giddiness is written all over her face. And Veronica notices.

“What is up with you lately?” she smiles. “Is it a new guy? Please tell me it’s a new guy.”

Betty looks away, blushing. “Maybe.”

“Oh, B!” Veronica grins. “That’s so great. What’s his name, what’s he like?”

“I don’t wanna say,” Betty replies. “It’s still very new. I don’t wanna jinx it.”

“Oh, come on.” She rolls her eyes. Betty doesn’t budge, just shrugs her shoulders. “Fine,” she huffs. “If you’re not gonna tell me who he is, at least tell me what the sex is like.”

Betty bites her lip. She just had to tell someone.

“He’s the best I’ve ever had.”

Veronica swoons and demands to know details.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A week later, she finds herself on top of the shaking dryer, Jughead between her legs as he moves inside of her. She locks her legs around his waist, gripping onto the shelf above her as she moved her hips against his.

“Fuck, _Juggie_ ,” she moans. “I’m so close.”

“Me, too, baby,” he murmurs, moving his hands deftly between her legs. “God, you feel incredible.”

Jughead hits just the right spot and Betty cries out in pleasure, Jughead following quickly behind. He rests his forehead against her shoulder, panting as he tries to catch his breath. Beneath her, the dryer contains to shake, stimulating her over-sensitive body.

He pulls away and she hops off the dryer to adjust her clothes.

“That was so good,” she sighs, leaning back against it. “How is it _always_ so good?”

Jughead smirks as he fastens his belt.

“I guess that’s what happens when you do it with _the best you’ve ever had_.”

Her jaw drops. “Who told you?!”

He shrugs, feigning nonchalance. “Veronica told Archie, and Archie told me.”

“Those gossiped bitches! I should have just kept my mouth shut,” she mutters.

“Hey,” he says softly, pulling her into his arms. “You have no idea how good it made me feel to hear that. It’s not every day you get told you’re someone’s best sexual experience. And more importantly, Betty Cooper’s. It made me weirdly... proud.”

She melts against him, arms winding around his waist. “Well it’s true. You are.” She leans up to kiss him, then pulls back with a warning look. “But don’t let it go to your head, Jones.”

He laughs. “I won’t.”

He kisses her again, hands cupping her neck, thumbs massaging her skin. He pecks her lips once, twice, before pulling away.

“So how do you feel about going to Vermont for the weekend with ‘the best you’ve ever had’.”

She raises one eyebrow. “Keep calling yourself that and I won’t be going anywhere with you.”

Sometimes he knows when to shut up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cheryl enters Betty and Veronica’s apartment one morning with a huge smile on her face.

“Guess who’s moving into a new apartment?”

“Oh my god, that’s so exciting!” Veronica grins. “Is it that place in Green Point?”

“Yeah, the one-bed. The realtor called Toni this morning and said our application has been accepted.”

“I’d say I’m sad that you’re moving to a whole other borough but that would be a lie,” Jughead says as he drops his empty plate into the sink.

Cheryl’s lips stretch into a sarcastic smile, eyes narrowed. “Kiss my ass, Jug.”

“I don’t think either of us wants that, Cher.” He winks, knowing how much she hates the nickname. “Right, I’ve gotta go. My editor is meeting me in twenty minutes.”

Without thinking, he leans over to kiss Betty goodbye. Instinctively, she reaches up to cup his face between her hands, melting into the kiss.

A throar clears behind them and they both freeze, eyes snapping open but lips still pressed together.

Jughead pulls back quickly, eyes wide as he scrambles for an explanation.

“What the hell, Jughead?” Veronica cries.

“It’s, uh... it’s a European thing. Chic was telling me about it. Said he picked it up on his honeymoon.”

Veronica and Cheryl look unconvinced.

In a poor attempt to save face, he approaches Veronica and leans in. She takes an automatic step back, eyebrows rising her on her forehead.

“I don’t think so! The only guy I’m frenching is Archie.”

“Uh, right... sorry.”

He walks passed Veronica as he heads towards the door. Cheryl stands in front of it, hands on her hips. There is a split-second of indecision before he thinks _fuck it_ and pause before her. She raises her hand, recoiling in disgust.

“Don’t even think about it, Jones.”

He nods, “Fair enough,” and is out of the door before he can embarrass himself further.

Cheryl and Veronica turn to Betty, equally shocked.

“What?” she asks, feigning innocence. “It’s Jughead, he’s kinda weird. And you saw him – he just laid one on me!”

She is so thankful her face doesn’t heat up under their scrutinizing gazes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jughead grabs the stack of mail on the counter, flipping through it as he walks into the living room.

“Hey, man,” Archie says, coming out of his bedroom.

“Hey.”

“The hotel you stayed at in Vermont called earlier. They said you left an eyelash curler behind.” Jughead tenses up, eyes flying up to look at Archie. He’s wearing a dopey grin. “Why didn’t you tell me you hooked up with a girl while you were there?”

Jughead swallows, tries to remains neutral.

“It was just a one-time thing,” he shrugs. “I didn’t think it was worth mentioning.”

“That’s too bad.” His lips tilt up into a boyish smile; Jughead raises an eyebrow. “So... was she hot?”

He can’t stop the dreamy look from appearing on his face as he thinks of Betty; her soft skin, and her soft hair, and her soft lips.

“She was beautiful.”

“Man.” Archie chuckles. “You should have seen the look on your face just then. You looked so gone on this girl! Sucks you won’t see her again.”

“Whatever,” Jughead mutters, trying to play it cool. “Like I said, it was just a one-time thing.”

Archie drops the subject, switches on the TV and drops down into one of the La-Z-Boys.

“By the way,” Jughead says, slicing open a letter from his phone company. “I saw Kelly Ripa at the hotel, waiting for the elevator with her husband.”

“No way!” Archie yells, excitable as ever. “That’s so cool. Was _she_ hot?”

Jughead shakes his head, chuckling to himself. One mention of another woman and he had already forgotten about his mystery hook up. He really was easily pleased.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

He continuously steals glances at Betty out of the corner of his eye. He knew it was risky – they were surrounded by their friends, who could be particularly observant when they wanted to be – but he couldn’t help it. She was just so pretty.

Cheryl sits at Veronica and Betty’s kitchen applying another coat of lipgloss, ready for her date with Toni.

“Did you tell Cheryl who you saw at that hotel in Vermont?” Veronica asks Betty.

Jughead’s stomach twists, his eyes darting over to Archie.

“Kelly Ripa,” Betty answers, earning a gasp from Cheryl.

He watches Archie’s brow furrow, confusion written all over his face. He looked the same way whenever he tried to complete the New York Times crossword.

“Hey, babe, do you have an eyelash curler?” Cheryl asks Betty. “I forgot to put mine in my purse.”

Blood starts rushing in Jughead’s ears. They were dangerously close to being caught. Archie wasn’t the sharpest tool but he was only a minute away from putting all of the pieces together.

“Yeah, one sec.” She runs into her bedroom to grab her make-up bag, rummaging through the contents with a frown. “Shit. I think I lost it. V, do you have one?”

There is a long moment where everything seems to move in slow motion. Jughead watches many emotions flicker across Archie’s face – multiple transitions, cataloguing his entire process, before everything finally clicks into place.

His eyes widen, his eyebrows shoot up and his whole body jerks.

“Oh my god.” His head snaps over to Jughead. “Oh my god!”

“What?” Veronica asks, frowning at him.

“Hey, Arch. Can I talk to you outside?” Jughead grabs his hand before he can answer, pulling him towards the door. “Betts, you should come too. We need to discuss that thing we were talking about earlier.”

It only takes Betty a second to figure out what was happening, face paling as she stared at Archie.

As soon as they are out in the hallway, Jughead is dragging Archie into their apartment, Betty following close behind.

“What the hell is going on?” Archie yells, spinning around to face them. “Is Betty the girl from the hotel?”

“Yes,” Jughead sighs. “We’ve been... seeing each other. For a while now.”

“But... how? Where?” he stammers, exasperated.

“In California,” Betty replies quietly.

“ _In California?!_ ” he exclaims. He blows out a huge breath. “So what are you guys? Are you together? Are you just hooking up?”

“We don’t know,” Jughead admits. “We’re still trying to figure things out. And that’s why you can’t tell anybody.”

“This is crazy,” he mutters, eyes still wide and frantic. “I mean, it’s awesome. But it’s still crazy.”

“It _is_ awesome,” Betty smiles, sliding her arm around Jughead’s waist.

He wraps his arm around her shoulders, pulls her closer.

“I wanna be mad because you’re making me lie to Ronnie,” Archie says. Then, he smiles. “But you’re just so cute.”

Betty laughs as Jughead kisses her temple.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The apartment is large and spacious, with two bedrooms, perfect for the family Chic and his wife plan to start very soon.

“This place is so nice. Honestly, if you don’t make an offer, I might,” Cheryl tells him as she wanders around the empty living room.

Chic laughs. “Yeah, right.”

Cheryl turns to him, eyebrow cocked in challenge.

“Oh, shit,” he mutters. “Okay. I’m gonna go talk to the realtor.”

Veronica wanders over to the window. “It really is nice. Such a great find. And look! You can see right into mine and Betty’s apartment,” she says, looking over to their building across the street and the large window in their living room.

“Huh, no way,” Cheryl says as she enters the kitchen to check it out.

“Oh, hey. Jughead and Betty are there. I wander if they can see us, too.”

She pulls out her phone to text Betty and tell her to look over. She looks up, ready to wave, but gasps in horror as the sight in front of her.

“Oh!... Oh, no!” she screams, horrified but unable to look away.

Cheryl runs back out into the living room. “What? What’s going on?”

“Betty and Jughead! _Betty and Jughead!_ ” She waves at the window, hysterical, before slapping a hand over her eyes and spinning around. “Eyebleach! I need eyebleach.”

“Oh my god!” Cheryl shouts, mouth dropping open in shock. Then, after a second, her head tilts, curious. She arched one eyebrow. “Damn, Jughead is _worshipping_ her. I never expected him to be so generous.” She shakes her head, lip curling. “Ew. Oh my god. I can’t believe I’m saying these things about _Jughead_.”

“ _I_ can’t believe they’ve been doing this behind our back!” Veronica yells. “How long has this been going on?!”

“Who knows?” Cheryl shrugs. “And frankly, who cares? Betty looks like she’s having the time of her life.”

Veronica pulls her away from the window. “Stop looking!” she hisses.

“Then stop yelling!” she retorts. “Chic will come back soon and he can’t find out like this. He’d kick Jughead’s ass.”

As if on cue, Chic strolls back into the apartment.

“Hey, what’s going on? I heard screaming.”

He walks towards them but Veronica quickly grabs his arms and turns him around, bouncing up and down.

“We’re just so excited for you!”

“A new apartment!” Cheryl joins in, clapping her hands together.

Chic hesitates for a moment before he breaks into a huge grin, jumping over to them and pulling them into a group hug.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“So all those times they were doing laundry or going to the gym together, they were really hooking up?!”

“Obviously,” Cheryl replies. “I can’t believe we didn’t figure it out.”

Veronica releases a happy sigh, hands wrapped around her cup of coffee.

“Who would have thought – two of our best friends, hooking up in secret!”

“I didn’t know Betty had it in her,” Cheryl quips. “I mean, I think it’s great! Well... for him. She might be able to do better.”

“Cheryl!” Veronica laughs. “We really should tell Archie. It’s not fair to leave him out of the loop.”

“Well it’s not like he’s gonna figure it out on his own,” Cheryl insists. “The boy is pretty but he’s not bright.”

Veronica shoots her a look. “Why are you even friends with us? All you ever do is insult us.”

Cheryl shrugs. “You keep me entertained.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Betty curls up on Jughead’s lap, head resting on his shoulder. A movie is playing on TV but Betty isn’t paying attention, thoughts constantly returning to their conversation with Archie the day before.

Guilt twists in Betty’s stomach as she thinks of Veronica and Cheryl, her best friends, totally oblivious to what was quickly becoming the most important relationship Betty’s ever had. And Archie! Poor Archie, who broke out into a sweat every time they were all in a room together. It wasn’t fair to him, this wasn’t his secret.

“Stop thinking so hard,” Jughead murmurs against her hair, hand running up and down her side.

She smiles, nuzzling closer. “Sorry, I’m just...” She pauses, wondering if she should voice her anxiety. Honesty was the best policy, right? “Do you think we should tell the guys?”

“About us?” he asks, leaning back to look at her.

“Yeah. I... I really like you. And I want this to be real. Do you want that?”

“Of course I want that,” he replies automatically. “Are you crazy? I was happy to have just one amazing night but now I don’t think I can ever let you go.”

Betty tries to ignore the flutter his words send through her stomach. He was just being Jughead – hyperbolic but sweet.

“Aren’t you worried? What if they can’t accept us being together?”

“Well Archie took it pretty well,” he points out. “Although he is basically a puppy in a twenty-seven year old’s body.”

Betty giggles but the sound ends with a sigh. Quietly, she says, “I’m nervous, Jug. If we tell them, we might lose this easiness between us and I don’t want that. I love how things are right now.”

Jughead brushes a lock of her hair back from her face, his knuckles skimming across her cheek before he pulls away.

“Why don’t we keep things secret for another two weeks and see how we feel? If you still want to tell them, then we will.”

Betty nods. “Okay, I like that. Two more weeks.”

She settles against Jughead’s shoulder again, tries to re-focus on the movie. Her hand finds his, fingers slotting between his own.

Honesty was definitely the best policy but there were some things she needed to keep to herself. Like the fact that she knew she was falling for him and she wasn’t sure _she_ could ever let _him_ go.

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Archiekins,” Veronica says in a soft tone, as if talking to a child. She takes a seat beside him, a placating hand resting on his bicep. “Now I don’t want you to freak out, but we’ve found out some surprising news. Something that could change our entire gr–“

“Oh my god,” Cheryl snaps, with a roll of her eyes. “He’s an adult, Ronnie. I think he can handle it.”

“Handle what?” Archie asks, confused.

“Betty and Jughead are fucking.”

“Cheryl!” Veronica yells. “Don’t say it like tha–“

“How did you guys find out?” he asks, eyes darting between them.

“We were checking out Chic’s new apartment and we saw them doing it through the window,” Cheryl explains.

“Actually it was more like _up against_ the window,” Veronica adds. “Wait.” Veronica’s narrowed eyes turn to Archie. “Do you already know?”

Archie swallows. “Uh... Maybe.”

“Archie!” Veronica shouts, outraged. “How could you not tell me two of our best friends were screwing?”

“They made me promise not to tell!” he says, hands raised defensively. “I couldn’t break a promise.”

“Okay. Maybe you aren’t an adult,” Cheryl mutters. She crosses her arms across her chest. “I bet this was Jughead’s idea. That sneaky bastard.”

“Well it doesn’t matter anymore because now we all know! So we can tell them,” Archie reasons.

“But they don’t know that we know, right?” Cheryl asks, a mischievous smirk spreading across her red lips.

Archie frowns. Veronica tilts her head.

“What are you getting at?”

“We should mess with them,” Cheryl says, eyes lighting up at an opportunity to scheme. “Make them wish they’d never started keeping secrets from us.”

Veronica squeals in delight, clapping her hands together.

“Hey, I have an idea,” Archie pipes up, face falling as he exclaims, “We tell them!”

“Yeaaah, I like Cheryl’s idea more.” Veronica grins up at her, hands clasped beneath her chin. “So how are we going to mess with them?”

“Well when they say they’re gonna do laundry, we’ll just give them a bag of laundry,” she suggests. Veronica laughs. “And then I’ll use my greatest tool – my sexuality.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’ll flirt with Jughead. Make him think I’ve changed my mind after all these years and I want to get under those ugly, threadbare jeans of his.”

“But how will that work? Jughead knows you and Toni are dating.”

Cheryl shrugs. “Toni won’t mind pretending to break up. Especially when she knows it’s part of a ploy to mess with Jughead.”

Archie sighs, collapsing back against the sofa.

“This is nuts. You know this isn’t gonna end well, right?”

“Oh, hush, Archiekins. You don’t have to be a part of this. You’re just not allowed to tell them that we know.”

“And if I do tell them?” he challenges.

“I’m already mad at you for keeping this from me,” Veronica quips. “Don’t make this any worse.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Hey, Cheryl, we need to leave now if we’re gonna catch that movie,” Veronica says, grabbing her purse.

They head towards the door, coats draped over their arms. Cheryl pauses as she passes Jughead by the kitchen table. She steps closer, until her chest is pressed against his.

“Are you free later?” she asks, a flirty smile on her lips.

Jughead frowns. “Uh, yeah. Why?”

She shrugs, drops her gaze, and then looks up at him through her lashes.

“Well I know you’ve been so busy lately – always working or going to the gym.” She runs her hand along Jughead’s bicep, squeezing for emphasis. Jughead gulps. “I was just hoping to catch you later. _Alone_.”

“Uh, well... I may, um... I may have plans,” he stammers.

Her bottom lip pokes out in a pout. “Well that’s too bad. I’ve been feeling so lonely since Toni and I broke up. I was hoping you could... console me,” she says, voice slightly breathy.

“Cheryl, come on!”

“Oh!” She giggles, hand on his arm again. “I guess I have to go. See you later, maybe?”

“M-maybe,” he croaks out.

She winks, wiggles her fingers at him. “Bye, Jughead.”

As soon as the door is shut behind them, Jughead spins around to look at Betty.

“Do you see what I’m talking about now? All the flirting and the touching. She did it at the coffee house, too!”

“Actually, I _did_ ,” Betty says, shocked. “I can’t believe this.”

“I told you – she’s hot for me.”

Betty shakes her head, eyebrows pulling together.

“There’s no way Cheryl is into you. It’s not possible.”

Jughead scoffs. “Uh, _ouch_.”

“Oh, come on. You and Cheryl? Really? Like that would ever–“ Betty stops, mouth hanging open. “Oh my god,” she mutters, hand flying up to cover her mouth. “Oh my god. _She knows about us!_ ”

“What? No, she can’t,” Jughead insists.

“She knows and she’s just trying to freak us out!” Betty yells. “That’s the only explanation for it.”

“But what about all the extra time I’ve been putting in at the gym and my new biceps– Oh my god, she knows!”

Betty nods, arms folded across her chest.

“Yep. And now she’s messing with us.”

They race across the hall to Jughead’s apartment, find Archie inside playing Xbox.

“Archie!” Jughead yells. “Cheryl knows about us.”

Archie spins in his chair. “Well I didn’t tell them.”

“Them?!” Betty shouts. “Who’s _them_?”

“Uh... Cheryl. And _Archie_.”

Betty and Jughead purse their lips simultaneously, arms folded.

“Archie, does Veronica know about us, too?”

“Yes,” he sighs. “But I didn’t tell them, I swear! They were in Chic’s apartment and they saw you through the window.”

Betty groans as Jughead scrubs a hand across his face.

“What are we gonna do?” he asks. “Should we just come clean?”

“Probably,” she agrees. “But I don’t want to tell them just because they’ve backed us into a corner. We should have seen this coming! They were acting so weird – always giving us laundry and Cheryl breaking up with Toni just as they were about to move in together.” She bites at the corner of her lip, thinking. “Maybe we should give them a little payback. Mess with them.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well _they_ don’t know that _we_ know that _they_ know.”

Archie’s face is blank with confusion as Jughead exclaims, “Ahh!” He nods, catching on immediately. “The messers become the messee’s!”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cheryl ends the call, lips parted in shock.

“What? What did he say?” Veronica asks.

“I’m going to his place for dinner tonight. He said he wanted me to feel his bicep and more!” Cheryl yells, disgusted.

“That jerk!” Veronica shouts. “I can’t believe he would do that to Be–“ She cuts herself off, eyes sliding over to her boyfriend. “ _Archie_. Do they know that we know?”

His face is the picture of innocence. “No.”

“Archie.”

He sighs. “They know you know.”

“They’re tryna mess with us?!” Cheryl laughs. “They don’t know that we know they know we know.”

Veronica nods, grinning. “You’re so right.”

They turn to Archie, fingers pointed accusingly.

“You can’t tell them!”

He raises his hands in surrender. “Couldn’t if I wanted to.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cheryl walks through the mist of perfume Toni sprays into the air, body poured into a skintight red dress.

“You’re in on this, too?!” he asks Toni.

She shrugs. “That smartass deserves to be messed with. And no one can resist my girl. She’s a knockout.”

Cheryl kisses her. “Thanks, babe.” She smoothes her hands across her dress. “Okay, I think I’m ready.”

Veronica bounces on her toes in excitement as Toni says, “Remember – no limits. If you need to kiss him to get him to admit defeat, you do it!”

Cheryl places her hand over her heart. “I love you.”

Jughead is waiting with a bottle of wine when she enters his apartment. His face is pale, hands twitchy, as he greets her.

“Good evening, Cheryl.”

She smirks. “So formal. You know you don’t need to pretend around me, Jug.” She steps closer, hands tugging at one of his suspender straps. “I already like you.”

He swallows thickly, unable to hide his nerves as he locks down at her. “Well that’s good because I like you, too,” he says, voice too-loud and trembly. “And I can’t wait to have all the sex.”

Cheryl licks her glossy lips. “Oh, me neither. I’m gonna rock your world.”

Jughead clears his throat, trying to regain some composure. He needed to get the upper hand.

“Why don’t I give you a massage?” he suggests. “I have lotion in the bathroom.”

“Oh.” She blinks, disconcerted. “O-okay. Yeah. Go get the lotion.”

“Be right back,” he winks.

Cheryl rushes out into the hallway. “He wants to massage me. He’s gone to get lotion! What the hell do I do?”

“He’s bluffing! So pull yourself together.” Toni takes Cheryl’s hands in hers. “You’re Cheryl Bombshell. You’ve made men and women get down on their knees and beg for a shot with you. You will not be defeated by _Jughead Jones_.”

Cheryl nods. “You’re right. You’re totally right.”

When she re-enters, Jughead is emerging from the bathroom, lotion in hand.

“I thought you’d left.”

“Not without you,” she coos. “ _Lover_.”

Jughead takes a visibly deep breath.

“Some wine?” he asks, raising an empty glass.

“Please.”

He pours them both a glass.

“So here we are,” she smiles, taking her glass from him. “Nervous?”

“Me? Nope.” He raises a brow. “You?”

“Oh, no. I want this to happen.”

“So do I.”

She raises her glass in the air. “A toast – to the beginning of a beautiful new relationship.”

He smiles tightly, touching his glass to hers. They both drain their glasses in one long sip.

“Well,” he says, placing his glass onto the counter. “This is it. We’re finally going to do this.”

“Excited?” She smirks, cocking an eyebrow.

“O-of course,” he stammers.

“You should be,” she assures him. “I’m very... bendy.” Jughead’s eyes widen. “I’m going to kiss you now,” she says, sashaying towards him, an extra swing in her hips.

“Not if I kiss you first.”

In a burst of boldness, he grasps her waist and pulls her against him, closing the last inch of space. Cheryl’s breath catches in shock, her hands landing on his chest.

Trying to gain the advantage, she slides one hand down and over his ass. She grasps it. Jughead’s eyebrows shoot up so high they almost reach his hairline.

“Well I guess there’s nothing left for us to do but... but kiss.”

She tries to smile convincingly. “Here we go. Our first kiss.”

Slowly, so slowly, they lean towards each other, getting closer and closer, lips only a breath away when Jughead shouts, “Okay, okay! Fine. You win!”

Cheryl grins, face lighting up as Jughead stumbles backwards.

“I can’t have sex with you!”

“And why not?”

“Because I’m in love with Betty!”

Cheryl gapes at him. “You’re _what_?”

Two doors swing open then, Archie and Veronica stumbling into the apartment as Betty emerges from the bathroom, eyes focused on Jughead and a beautiful smile pulling at her lips.

“That’s right!” Jughead yells, riding the adrenaline of the moment and his confession. “I love her. I love Betty.”

Betty strides across the living room until she is standing before him, eyes sparkling as she looks up at him.

“I love you, Betty,” he murmurs reverently, face softening as their eyes meet.

She slides her hands along his chest and around his neck. “I love you, too.”

Their lips meet in a sweet kiss, a seal to their declarations. Behind them, their friends are grinning, giddy.

Jughead rests his forehead against hers, chuckling as Cheryl says, “I just thought you guys were boning. I didn’t realize you were in love.”

“Dude!” Archie yells, a huge smile on his face.

Betty turns to face them, her arm wrapped around Jughead’s waist.

“Hats off to Cheryl,” Jughead says, shaking her hand. “You’re a formidable opponent, Blossom.”

Toni slides her arms around her waist from behind, chin resting on her shoulder. “I knew you couldn’t beat my girl.”

Cheryl grins. “I _am_ pretty formidable.”

“Well that’s it!” Archie says, pleased. “Now everyone knows.”

“Not quite,” Betty says. “Chic still doesn’t and we’d appreciate it if you didn’t tell him yet. You know how he can be. He gets kind of... crazy.”

Archie’s face falls. He storms out, slamming the door behind him.

“Is he okay?” Jughead asks.

“He will be,” Veronica says dismissively. “But who cares about that? You guys are in love!” She rushes over to them, pulling them both into a hug. “Oh my god, you’re gonna have the cutest babies!”

Jughead’s eyes meet Betty’s as he pulls away, surprised to find that he feels no crippling anxiety over Veronica’s statement. Only love.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“This place is so beautiful,” Maria smiles, cupping Chic’s face between her hands.

He grins, eyes looking around the room. “I know. I was so happy when I found it. I knew you’d–“ He stops short, features creasing up in confusion as he stares out the window. “No...”

“What is it?” she asks, watching him approach the window.

“What are you doing?!” he yells, staring out of the window and over to his sister’s apartment. His hands curl into fists. “GET OFF MY SISTER!”

Oblivious inside Betty’s apartment, Jughead smiles against her lips as he lifts her onto the desk in front of the window and then kneels down between her legs.

Betty lets out a breathy moan when his tongue touches her, fingers sliding into his hair.

Hooking up with his best friend at a wedding was the best mistake he’s ever made.

 


End file.
